3rd break-in at American Legion Post 12 in Elyria

ELYRIA -- The American Legion Post 12 has been broken into in the same way for the third time since Nov. 2.

Each time a hole has been found in the drywall near the canteen's entryway.

The suspect set off an alarm and did not steal anything this time, but in the past two incidents those involved escaped with money meant for programs aimed at children and veterans, said Darell Bishop, financial officer for the organization.

Police responded to the 393 Ohio St. building about 1 a.m. yesterday because of the alarm. They found a screen had been pulled from a window and contacted Bishop. A search of the building found a hole in the same spot as in the two previous incidents. While it appeared desk drawers rummaged through, nothing seemed to be gone, Bishop told police.

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Each time the organization has patched the wall back up, but the burglar continued to bust through it, Bishop said.

"We're taking steps," Bishop said of the fact that entry was gained in the same way each time. He would not comment on what the steps might be.

The two previous break-ins took place on Nov. 2 and Nov. 11, Veterans Day.

In the first instance, a suspect pried open a window and then smashed two holes into the drywall to gain entry into an office and the canteen. The suspect triggered a motion detector in the canteen.

The alarm was activated at 3 a.m. but officers only found an unsecured window and no keyholder could be reached, police said. Police suspect the intruder backed out of the first hole after noticing the motion alarm and then created the second hole to enter an office and the storage room where a safe was pried open.

In the second incident, the thief busted through the recently patched up wall on Veterans Day and made off with an undisclosed amount of money, Bishop said.

"We're hoping they catch them quickly," he said. "It is a shame that it happened, especially to a veteran's organization."